Birmingham City Council Regular Meeting - May 5, 2026

The Birmingham City Council met on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 9:30 AM in the City Council Chambers, with all nine councilmembers present. Mayor Randall Woodfin opened with proclamations for Small Business Week, Historic Preservation Month, Lupus Awareness Month, and Nurses Week. The meeting included a consent agenda with over 40 routine items, two public hearings on zoning changes, amendments to the city's entertainment safety ordinance, several grant agreements, and public comments on a dog park proposal and drainage issues. The meeting adjourned at 11:40 AM.

Consent Calendar

• Liquor Licenses: Resolutions 931-26 through 935-26 approved for Elephants, LLC (BoomBox), Rim Halal Food (Happy Hour Liquor), MADHAV 1 (Liberty Liquor), The Anvil Pub & Grill (The Harrington Pub), and Skyward Holdings (The Heights 218).
• Towing Service License: Resolution 936-26 approved for Austin Sweat (Byron's Towing Service).
• Operating Authority: Resolution 937-26 approved for Alabama Capital Group dba Reserve Black (limousine service).
• Inoperable Vehicle Abatements: Resolutions 938-26 through 941-26 declared four vehicles as public nuisances (Cadillac DHS, BMW 323i, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet 6500 dump truck).
• Agreements with Nonprofits: Resolutions 942-26 through 949-26 approved funding agreements with Alabama Regional Medical Services ($15,000, amended from $5,000 with additional $10,000 from District 5 surplus), Be the Change Health & Wellness ($1,500 for Titusville), Birmingham Public Library Board ($4,000 for senior programs), Birmingham Youth Sports League ($500,000 for youth athletic programs), CAWACO ($4,000 for tree planting in heat islands, amended to specify Districts 5 and 9), Greater Shiloh Baptist Church CDC ($30,000 for community outreach), Urban Impact Inc. ($5,000 for live music), and YWCA ($1,000 for housing and domestic violence services).
• Critical Repair Program Agreements: Resolutions 950-26 through 953-26 approved subrecipient agreements with Christian Service Mission ($600,000), Independent Living Resources/Disability Rights & Resources ($840,000), Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham ($480,000), and Woodlawn United ($480,000) for housing rehabilitation. Also approved a substantial amendment to CDBG-DR Action Plans reallocating $1,844,591.10 (Grant B-12-MT-O1-0001) and $2,123,030.56 (Grant B-13-MS-01-0001).
• Emergency and Construction Contracts: Resolutions 954-26 through 958-26 approved contracts for Grants Mill Road Bridge emergency repair ($193,710.25 to Guardian Retention Systems), Municipal Court employee parking lot repair ($32,695 to Birmingham Paving and Sealcoating), 2026 City Wide Sidewalk Repairs ($720,842.10 to Global Construction and Engineering), City Hall Restroom Accessibility Improvements ($318,914 to Splawn Construction), and a one-year contract for Traffic Control Products and Solutions (TAPCO).
• Amendments and Payments: Resolutions 959-26 through 966-26 approved amendments to prior resolutions (weed abatement and emergency vehicle pricing), and payments for vehicle repairs, umpire fees, Heil parts, office furniture, and heavy equipment rental/purchase.
• Expense Accounts: Resolutions 967-26 through 969-26 approved advanced and itemized expense accounts for appointed officials and city employees.
• Weed Abatement: Resolution 970-26 declared 378 properties with noxious weeds as public nuisances and set a public hearing for June 9, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Aviyah Lemuel (2520 Warrior Road): Presented a conceptual proposal for a dog park and parking lot on his property, requesting a land disposition at $1 for two parcels and a lifetime community use covenant. He also asked for city assistance with falling trees and weed abatement. The matter was referred to administration for review.
• Cynthia Turner (616 16th Avenue NW): Described ongoing flooding in a ditch near her home, stating that case numbers have been closed without the work being completed. She complained about spraying of chemicals (Roundup) and requested a bulldozer to fix the drainage issue. Mayor Woodfin acknowledged coordination issues with Jefferson County and committed to follow-up.

Discussion Items

• Item 1 – Zoning Change for Convenience Store (Sayreton Drive): Withdrawn at staff request due to a legal description issue caused by a sanitary sewer amendment. A companion item (Item 48) was introduced to set a new public hearing for June 9, 2026, to consider a revised zoning map amendment from I-4 to QI-1.
• Item 2 – Zoning Change for Mixed-Use Building (1240 22nd Street South): Public hearing held. Zoning Administrator Kim Sperl presented staff report. Applicant C. Randall Minor described a planned $80 million mixed-use development with hotel, condominiums, and restaurant. The Redmont Park Neighborhood Association voted 4-23 against; Highland Park Neighborhood Association voted 20-4 in favor. Public speaker Paul Gundenby (South Side Neighborhood Association) opposed, citing traffic and overbuilding. Council discussion focused on height variance (separate from rezoning). Ordinance passed unanimously (9-0) to rezone from R-6 to MU-M.
• Item 14 – Amendments to Kelvyn Felder Ordinance (Safety Plans for Entertainment Establishments): First reading and adoption. Deputy Chief Phil Morton and Attorney Roberts outlined changes including definitions for